Should we EVER kick again?

[BGSU33]

Yeah, it's another thread about our kicking game again, so if you don't want to read about it, just skip it. Otherwise, here's our weekly thread, and every week wthat e talk about this, I have a flashback to the preseason when I got laughed at for making a post about "worrying" about our kicking game.

I'm half joking in the title of this thread, but after watching both of our kick attempts get blocked against WMU (one an extra point, one a field goal), I almost wonder if we should even ever try a kick again. Seriously. Think about it, if we're missing as many extra points as we have already (and you can bet it will continue), we should just go for two from now one and it will all likely balance out in the end. What's the worse that can happen if we just go for two, we don't make it? Hah! I never thought the day would come where going for two was less stressful than watching us kick an extra point. As for kicking a field goal, we should just forget about it. We're not going to attempt a long field goal when we struggle to make extra points, and if we're close enough to actually try a field goal, then we should just be going for it. The sad part of all of this is, eliminating our PATs and FGs attempts would be one way of actually improving our kicking game at this point in the season. And that's bad. Although I don't really mean that (or do I?), it's almost true. I just can't stand watching it go on any more when I watch high school teams execute the simple step of converting an extra point week after week all over the country. This is D-I football we're talking about here.

[BGGrad01]

I'm half joking in the title of this thread, but after watching both of our kick attempts get blocked against WMU (one an extra point, one a field goal),

Our long snapper's back blocked the FG attempt so at least WMU only blocked one kick on Saturday. To your original question, no we should not attempt another FG, but we should kick XP's. And yes, we should switch to a conventional punt formation.

[BGSU33]

If that's true, the fact that our snapper's back blocked the attempt and not a WMU player is even worse than had a WMU player blocked it.

[bg8492]

Go for two....Direct snap to P.J. or B.J. - Has this play ever failed to pick up at least three yards..?

[BGSU33]

Go for two....Direct snap to P.J. or B.J. - Has this play ever failed to pick up at least three yards..?

It did when the ball was snapped to Lane when he wasn't ready for it and we lost yards against Buffalo last week getting ready to go in for a TD. But I agree, I'd rather see us try that than miss another extra point.

[truebgfootballfan]

This is my first posting because I have finally had enough of the ignorance. Not sure how many of you actually played football or got past your high school team, but enough is enough.

Should we ever kick again? Yes, yes and again yes. I remember so many of you saying the same stuff when Suisham was here in his early years. Oh, by the way, he will be starting for the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.

The problem is not the kickers. The problem is the coaching. Who has any kicking experience on the staff . . . . . none. Durkin is head of the kickoff and knows nothing. Springer is head of PAT's and field goals and at least he admits he knows nothing about kicking. Our kickers have worked their butts off learning and improving themselves. How has the blocking been? 90% of the blocks have come from our line making mistakes.

There is not one of you out there that could probably kick a ten yard field goal. Why do they always make that a half time promotion? Because it is NOT easy. The snap, blocking, hold, wind and etc. It is the only position that is expected to be perfect and that is unreasonable. Omar does not complete all his passes, but he can get by because he has 3 to 4 downs to work with.

This staff has yanked Fry and Timchenko back and forth. What confidence have they built? Did Fry and Timchenko all of a sudden forget how to kick after doing it for years and receiving scholarships? No!! The coaches play their head games and yank them back and forth. I have read where Timchenko was scholarshiped as the punter and now kicks. Well, why don't most of you do your research. He only punted for two years (once in high school and college) but has been a kicker the whole time. He broke Mike Lansford's (Los Angeles Rams) record for most PAT's in a season at PCC. Was last year's 40 yard field goal that cleared easily a fluke? Likely not. Fry was all state (OHIO) as a kicker.

What do the coaches do . . . . . yell. Why not a kicking coach if it is so important. It is important. I want one of these guys to have the confidence of the staff to kick a game winning field goal. We may need that.

Saturday's game was a joke, but possibly a vision of things to come. Students (our BG students) yelling negative comments to our players. Yea, that will make things better. Not one of which could wear any of the footbal player's jocks.

Let's be honest. The Urban Meyer coat tails are now flapping in the wind. Our best players are from Florida, which we don't even try to recruit out of Ohio. Brandon has made little or no adjustments all season. When have we truly stopped the run? And I mean against a legitimate team? Either we can't (personnel) or we are not (coaching). How has special teams gotten better. Everyone blames the kickers, but we can't tackle. Brandon is so scared of special teams that he tells the kickers to kick in the corner or sky kick (these are kicks that are kicked short ON PURPOSE, though most of you don't understand that) or Rugby punt because HE KNOWS we can't cover. Is that personnel or coaching?

We cannot just depend on Omar alone. Last year he was underrated, this year he is overrated. Turner can do the job if given the opportunity. After all, he will be the started next year if Omar bolts to the NFL (good luck).

Have we truly stopped a legitimate team on defense? What is Toledo going to do but pick us apart. I believe we have the personnel to make the appropriate adjustments. But will the coaching staff do that? Will they encourage agressiveness and let the guys play with encouragement or will they continue to yell and point fingers on mistakes and have the guys play tentatively? Coaches are supposed to coach . . . what a thought. Anybody can yell and expect perfection, heck that is all most of you do here on this board.

[BGSU33]

This thread started off as a "half joking" thread, FYI. I agree that 100 percent of the blame isn't on our kickers, but missed or blocked field goals aside, these kickers have got to make most of their extra points. Bad coaching or not, what, did they forget how to make extra points once they came to college? What are they practicing all week long? Oh, field goals, extra points and kickoffs. Sorry, I see part of what you are saying, but at some point, we have got to have a kicker that can put a kick through an uprigtht. As for it looking harder than it is, you are also right. But I watched a student come out of the Ball State student section a few weeks ago and make what I remember being a 35-yard FG. Yes it was off a tee, and yes no one was trying to block it, but he made the kick. This is D-I football we are talking here and it is not unacceptable to ask for a kicker to make extra points.....or a few field goals. We are not asking for 50-yard FGs into a driving win. Extra points are essentially gimmes (for most college teams at any level) and we are making it look like the most difficult play in football.

[bg8492]

This is my first posting because I have finally had enough of the ignorance. Not sure how many of you actually played football or got past your high school team, but enough is enough.

Should we ever kick again? Yes, yes and again yes. I remember so many of you saying the same stuff when Suisham was here in his early years. Oh, by the way, he will be starting for the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.

The problem is not the kickers. The problem is the coaching. Who has any kicking experience on the staff . . . . . none. Durkin is head of the kickoff and knows nothing. Springer is head of PAT's and field goals and at least he admits he knows nothing about kicking. Our kickers have worked their butts off learning and improving themselves. How has the blocking been? 90% of the blocks have come from our line making mistakes.

There is not one of you out there that could probably kick a ten yard field goal. Why do they always make that a half time promotion? Because it is NOT easy. The snap, blocking, hold, wind and etc. It is the only position that is expected to be perfect and that is unreasonable. Omar does not complete all his passes, but he can get by because he has 3 to 4 downs to work with.

This staff has yanked Fry and Timchenko back and forth. What confidence have they built? Did Fry and Timchenko all of a sudden forget how to kick after doing it for years and receiving scholarships? No!! The coaches play their head games and yank them back and forth. I have read where Timchenko was scholarshiped as the punter and now kicks. Well, why don't most of you do your research. He only punted for two years (once in high school and college) but has been a kicker the whole time. He broke Mike Lansford's (Los Angeles Rams) record for most PAT's in a season at PCC. Was last year's 40 yard field goal that cleared easily a fluke? Likely not. Fry was all state (OHIO) as a kicker.

What do the coaches do . . . . . yell. Why not a kicking coach if it is so important. It is important. I want one of these guys to have the confidence of the staff to kick a game winning field goal. We may need that.

Saturday's game was a joke, but possibly a vision of things to come. Students (our BG students) yelling negative comments to our players. Yea, that will make things better. Not one of which could wear any of the footbal player's jocks.

Let's be honest. The Urban Meyer coat tails are now flapping in the wind. Our best players are from Florida, which we don't even try to recruit out of Ohio. Brandon has made little or no adjustments all season. When have we truly stopped the run? And I mean against a legitimate team? Either we can't (personnel) or we are not (coaching). How has special teams gotten better. Everyone blames the kickers, but we can't tackle. Brandon is so scared of special teams that he tells the kickers to kick in the corner or sky kick (these are kicks that are kicked short ON PURPOSE, though most of you don't understand that) or Rugby punt because HE KNOWS we can't cover. Is that personnel or coaching?

We cannot just depend on Omar alone. Last year he was underrated, this year he is overrated. Turner can do the job if given the opportunity. After all, he will be the started next year if Omar bolts to the NFL (good luck).

Have we truly stopped a legitimate team on defense? What is Toledo going to do but pick us apart. I believe we have the personnel to make the appropriate adjustments. But will the coaching staff do that? Will they encourage agressiveness and let the guys play with encouragement or will they continue to yell and point fingers on mistakes and have the guys play tentatively? Coaches are supposed to coach . . . what a thought. Anybody can yell and expect perfection, heck that is all most of you do here on this board.

Regardless, the fact of the matter is that halfway through the season we are struggling with extra points and field goals. Blame whoever you want, the fact remains. Thus, why not go with something we can do with a little more confidence and regularity? I agree that in some game we may indeed need a field goal to win, but we may also need an extra oint or two to win as well.

[truebgfootballfan]

Thank you . . . . then why the comment to stop kicking. They are making them in practice . . . they need to know the coaches have confidence and will make the appropriate adjustments.

We will not make a game winning field goal or XP if we stop doing them.

[bg8492]

oh, but with the extra points, we DO have an option - my original point.

[BGSU33]

We will not make a game winning field goal or XP if we stop doing them.

True, but we won't make one if they keep missing them when they try them either. I think both kickers have been given many chances to "prove" they can kick. But time and time again, they have been shaky at best. Again, I'm not saying it is 100 percent their fault, but I do not think asking them to make extra points on a routine basis is much to ask at the D-I level, do you?

[kdog27]

This is my first posting because I have finally had enough of the ignorance. Not sure how many of you actually played football or got past your high school team, but enough is enough.

What does that have to do with anything? You bring up ignorance, that is an ignorant comment.

There is not one of you out there that could probably kick a ten yard field goal. Why do they always make that a half time promotion? Because it is NOT easy.

Your point being what? None of us our on scholarship.

I agree that the blame game is widespread, but our individual field goal talents in the kicking game or our HS football careers (are you serious?) have nothing to do with anything.

[Schadenfreude]

Our best players are from Florida, which we don't even try to recruit out of Ohio.

First, I want to say that I appreciate your posts. You seem to be pretty football smart.

I don't agree with everything you say. For example, I don't think it is unreasonable to expect perfection -- or near perfection -- on extra points. This isn't an Amish country high school team.*

That's not to negate everything you said though.

You raised an interesting point with recruiting. I also thought our class was was a bit Ohio-heavy. I went back and looked:

http://bgsufalcons.collegesports.com/sp ... 05aae.html

Code: Select all

Luke Alexander +	WR	6-0	170	Springfield, Ohio (South)
Freddie Barnes	QB	6-2	185	Chicago Hts., Ill. (Homewood)
Cody Basler	LB	6-3	225	Auburn, Mich. (Bay City Western)
Jarrett Buckosh	OL	6-7	254	Elyria, Ohio (Clearview)
Chris Bullock	RB	5-11	220 	Destrehan, La. (Destrehan)
Aaron Davis	WR	6-2 	182	Seffner, Fla. (Armwood)
Trevor Frericks	DL	6-1	255	Quincy, Ill. (Quincy Notre Dame)
Jacob Hardwick	DL	6-3	260	Virginia Beach, Va. (Ocean Lakes)
Thomas James	DL 	6-2	255	Goose Creek, S.C. (Goose Creek)
Nick Lawrence	LB	6-3	220	Brighton, Mich. (Brighton)
Rhett Magner	WR	5-10	165	Palmer, Alaska (Colony)
Kevin Mahoney	OL	6-6	295	Springfield, Ohio (North)
Brady Minturn	DL	6-4	250	Loveland, Ohio (Loveland)
Phillip Pollard	OL	6-3	270	Westerville, Ohio (Westerville South)
Michael Ream	DL	6-3	235	Bluffton, Ohio (Bluffton)
Ruben Ruiz +	TE	6-4	245	Oro Valley, Ariz. (Pueblo/Arizona Western)
Jimmy Scheidler	TE	6-4	240	Indianapolis, Ind. (Bishop Chatard)
Antonio Smith	CB	5-10	175	Miami, Fla. (Miami Central)
Richard Solak	OL	6-4	280	Boardman, Ohio (Cardinal Mooney)
Shane Steffy	OL	6-3	290	Oakmont, Pa. (Riverview)
Bobby Thomas	DB	5-10	200	Warrensville Hts., Ohio (Warrensville Hts)
Cordelle Thompson	LB	6-1	205	Middletown, Ohio (Middletown)
Stephon Thompson	CB	6-0	175	Franklin, Mich. (Southfield-Lathrup)
Calvin Wiley	DB	5-11	185	Detroit, Mich. (Notre Dame)
Guy Williamson	OL	6-4	300	Mahomet, Ill. (Mohomet-Seyomur)
Chris Wright	CB	5-10	175	Middletown, Ohio (Middletown)

We did get two players out of Florida -- and one is starting.

So it isn't like Bowling Green is completely ignoring Florida.

I'd feel better if we were getting four players a year out of Florida or Georgia. Good point, I think.

----
* If, on Saturday, you heard a particular fan bellow "THIS ISN'T AMISH COUNTRY!" after a punt was shanked miserably. that's what the fan meant.